Electric engine



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. C. A. JACKSON.

ELECTRIC ENGINE.

N0. 320,137. Patented June 16, 1885.

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4 Sheets- Shes C. A. JACKSON.

ELECTRIC ENGINE.

(No Model.)

N0. 320,137. Patented June 16, 1885.

[j/@www f' 2%@ (No Model.) l 4 sheets-slagen 3.

C. A. JACKSON.

ELECTRIC ENGINE.

No. 320,137. Patented June 16.1885.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4. C. A. JACKSON. ELECTRIC ENGINE.

N0. 320,137. Patented June 16, 1885.,

into general use.

'UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

CHARLES ALMON JACKSON, OF LAVRENCE, ASSIGNOE TO THE JACKSON ELECTRICENGINE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC ENelNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 320,137, dated June 16,17885.

(No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, CHARLEs ALMON .More soN, a citizen ot' the UnitedStates, residing at Lawrence, in the county of Essex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful ImprovementsinElectric Engines 5 and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it ap pertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to lettersor figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

This invention relates to electric motors, and belongs particularly tothat class in which a reciprocating armature is used in connection witha series of commutators and brushes in lieu of employing the revolvingarmature, as in the ordinary dynamo-machines for generating power.

My invention consists, essentially, in the peculiar adaptation of acrank to a driving-shaft, whereby an increased length of crank isobtained with but a minimum traverse or throw of the armature.

Hcretofore there has been a serious defect in electric motors of thisclass, consisting in the great distance between the magnets, and theloss of attraction, motion, and power while the armature is passing overit. Owing` to this defect motors of this class have not gone It becomes,therefore, very desirable to reduce to a minimum the travel of thearmature and the interval between the magnet-s. Now, I obtain thisminimum of travel in my invention, which is thus brieiy described, bysaying that the crank is attached to the shaft, but not to thecross-head within which it travels and from which it receivesintermittent thrusts; but the cross-head is attached directly to theconnecting-rod carrying the armature, and its extreme travel or thrustis but slightly more than the length of the radius of the bore of saidcross-head, while the crank, after the thrust given, is free to travelthe length of a radius without carrying the armature with it, thusobviating unnecessary throw of said armature, and when the crank hastraveled one hundred and eighty degrees the crossliead again exerts anactive thrust in the opposite direction for the length of a radius. Now,in case the latter and its connecting-rod were directly attached to acrank of the same radius, it would be forced to travel with it, and inlieu of moving only the length of a radius would be obliged to travelthrough one hundred and eighty degrees, or twice the radius, to reachthe same point attained in my method. Thus I save the travel in a greatmeasure, and still obtain the crank leverage. I have, therefore,endeavored to obviate any excessive travel of the armature by therelation of the operative parts to be hereinafter described.

My invention further consists in the general arrangement of theelectro-magnets and their disposition with respect to the driving-shaft;also,in the construction and disposal ofthe commutators and brushes,whereby proper thrusts are obtained from the armatures and magnets torotate the main shaft. and ready means are secured for reversing themotor at the will of the operator, or stopping it entirely. Thisarrangement of the crank permits the thrust or power to be exerted atthe time when it is most effective-that is, when said thrust is at rightangles to a radius instead of in line with it.

The drawings represent, in Figure l, a general plan or diagrammatic viewof the current system as applied to the electro-magnets and armaturesforming part of an electric motor embodying my improvements. Fig. 2represents a horizontal section of the motor, while Fig. 3 is a verticaltransverse section through one ofthe cross-heads at the commencement ofan active thrust. Fig. 4 shows the position ofthe cross-head relativelyto the crank during the inactive port-ion of revolution of the latter.Fig. 5 is a modified form of the crankdisk. Figs. G, 7, 8, and 9 arediagrams to show the position of the various co-operating parts at thecommencement of oneqnarter of a complete revolution of the main shaft.Fig. l0 is an isometric view of one of the commutators, and Fig. 11 is asection on line x x of Fig. 10. Fig. l2 is a vertical cross-section ofthe standards in which the cross-heads reciprocate.

In these drawings, A A represent two parallel standards or housings,forming a general support for the motor. These standards are constructedwith vertical polygonal openings a5 a, &c., tf-shaped at top and bottomto form ways in which to support and permit the travel of a series et'cross-heads B, &c., centrally bored at b5 b,&c., and provided with armsc5 c, de., in cross-section similar to the openings a a, in which theyreciprorate. To the extremities of these arms are attached theconnecting-rods C5 C" C CS, the latter being secured to swinginglever-arms Z5 d, die., and suitably disposed in bearings, while to thelower extremities of said levers are attached the armatures D5 DU. Thuswhen the current is passed through the electro magnets the armatures areinfluenced and a thrust is imparted to the main shaft E by means of theoperative parts above described.

It will be observed that the openings If* b of the cross-heads areconstructed of considerable diameter and made for the purpose ofcontaining circular disks ci c, which latter revolve within them, andare pivoted and sccured to the shalt by means of cranks f5 f, &c., andcranlepins g5 g, &c. Thus the main shaft is composed ol" a series ofshort shal'ts supported upon and suitably journaled in a number ofposts, F F, Cxc.

The electro-magnets are arranged in pairs, as shown at A B C Ds El l1"lG" H2, and similar corresponding pairs at a b c d3 ct j g* h2. In thisnomenclature I have adopted a certain system of lettering to correspondwith a continuous current which is shifted at l'our dillerent successiveintervals of time to act upon a di fl'erent set ol' instrumentalitieseach time, which latter are operated by the magnets then renderedellective by the shifting ol' the current. Thus the exponents of theletters used in designating said magnets always have the same exponentwhenever they are employed simultaneously-that is, when the current isemployed to operate the electro-magnets A A it also traverses theelectro-magnets C C a a c c at the same time and renders them activelikewise. By this system the parts cooperating with each othersimultaneously at any given portion of the stroke or revolution ol' theshalt are easily ascertained in the description of the operation of saidmachine.

Suitably disposed and lixed upon one end of the shaft E are thecommutatore I/JKL, adapted by means of their brushes f 7" 7i Z to makeand break the circuit at proper intervals of time with respect to themain shalt, by which their cooperating parts shall actively alitect saidshalt to maintain it in rotary movement. The commntators are four innumber, andin the present case are compound for the purpose of enablingthe driving-shaft to be reversible in its rotations or be stoppedentirely. For this purpose I have made the eommutators compound-that is,each individual one consists of three disks, two outside or exteriorones (marked d) and the dividingfdisk p, composed entirely ol"insulating material. The insulating material is indicated in thisinstance and in all others by black spaces, the metal by white. Thedisks 0" o are similarly shaped, but have three-quarters ol`theirperipherics ol' i nsnlating material, m m, while the other quarters, aa, of melal, are adapted to ell'ect metallic contact with each brush atproper times. llurthermore, the disks of upon one side of lhe l'oureommutators are so disposed that the metal contact-surlaces standquartering, and each one shall occupy a distinct quadrant. 0n the otherhand, each of the corresponding disks, o, on every commutator aresimilarly arranged in quadrature; but the two disks, of o, on theindividual comm utators are so set with respect to each other that themetallic surl'aces a n shall be diametrically opposite. Thus inreversing the motor it is only necessary to shilt the brushes, which aremounted in a properlypivoted carriage or sliding support, M, l'rom onecommutator of to a second but diametriA cally-arranged cooperatingcommutator, o Thus a pull or thrust is exerted in an opposite directionupon the shalt, and the latter is started in a reverse path ol" rotationl'rom that just before accomplished.

To stop the machine it is only necessary to move the brushes by meansot' the lever and carriage M to a position midway between the two disks,of o, forming each commulalor, or, in other words, allow them to restupon the insulating-disksp. Thus all thehclices or electro-magnets arel'or the time being rendered inactive, and the machine remainsstationary.

The actuating instrumcnlalities by which alternate thrusts exerted uponlhe cross-head ell'ect and transmit their Vl'orce to the shalt in orderto rotate the same is accomplished b y means ol' circular disks c7c,which corresliond to the crank in an engine. These disks are centrallyand loosely pivoted upon crankpins g5 g eccentrically disposed uponcranks ff", the latter, however, being centered upon those portions ol"the shalt which goto constitute the main shalt E, all as hereintol'orepremised. Thus each ol the erank-disks ci e, &c., rotates intermittentlyupon the interior periphery ol` the cross-head inclosing it. As thecross-hcads reciprocate transversely ol' the shaft by the inllucnce ellthe current passing' through the helices ol' the elccliro-magnets, whichlatter attract the armatrnes attached to the lever-arn'is andconnecting-rods secured to said crossheads,pressure is brought to bearagainst said disks, which move away from the thrust so exerted, and bythis means the revolution el" the shalt is accomplished by the movementol' an epicycle, so called.

The operation of the motor is accomplished by shunting or shifting thecurrent successively through the circuit-wires designated by thenumerals l 2 3 -lA by means ol' the instrumentality of thecommutatordisks and their brushes, which latter, by passing from theinsulating material to the metallic surfaces composing said disks,affect certain ones of the helices to render them active, while othersin the series of helices are made inactive at proper intervals of time,and so maintain a continuous succession of thrusts to rotate the shaftfrom which the motive power is to be furnished.

The battery may consist of any number of series of cells adapted to givea current of electricity most suitable for a machine of the abovedescription, and is shown at N. The current generated therefrom has thesame general direction with reference to the helices, only it is forcedby means of the commutators to shift its course to render certain of thehelices active, while the remainder are rendered inactive.

The helices are arranged as shown in pairs in lieu of being single, inorder to obtain more power, while the length of the armatures isaccordingly extended to suit existing circumstances. lt is evident fromthe arrangement andl system of the helices herein described that asecond connecting'rod may be united to the rods, as shown, and in axialalignment therewith, while a secondary series of helices may be disposedin rear of the first series, making the entire series two deep, and thusaugmenting the power twofold upon each connecting-rod. By this means thepower of the machine can very easily be greatly multiplied withoutincreasing the size very much, and at a very small expense or cost.

It must be understood from my invention that the cross-heads B5 B BT Bsco-operate alternately in pairs-that is, B5 B7 act together, and BBS-and t-hc current is so disposed that the opposite pairs of thehelices are rendered active, and thus two opposite thrusts are eX- ertedsimultaneously upon the shaft to aid its revolution. Upon reference toFig. l this idea is more easily explained, and so it will readily beseen that the alternate cross-heads with their operating mechanism acttogether simultaneously, but in different directions, as shown by arrowsl and 2. Thus the cross heads B BT are now active, having just completedtheir stroke, and the helices or electro-magnets which have beenemployed to ef- `fect these thrusts by attraction upon the armatures D5D5 are A A a c upon the crosshead B5, while the opposite helices, C C cc', of the similar acting pairs of electro-magnets operate thecross-head BT by the armatures D7 D2. The resultant or active thrustderived from the above position of parts effects positive movement ofthe shaft for ninety degrees or one-quarter of an entire or completerevolution. This is accomplished by means of the metalliccontact-surface of its commutator l. with the brush i during thatdistance which directs the current'No. l through the helices A Aa c C Cc c', as above premised. The

instant brush i has broken its metallic contact with its commutator themetallic contactsurface J 2 has completed the circuit by aid of itsbrush 72 through the wire which conducts current No. 2. The latterinduces activity in the pairs of helices F2 E2 e2 e2 H2 li12/i2 h2, andtheir respective cross-heads B Bs are oppositely thrust, as shown by thearrows 3 and 4. This completes the second quarter oi' ninety degrees ol'a complete revolution of the shaft, when the brush t" and its commutatorhave broken their metallic contact, and the armatures are free towithdraw from their helices. This position ot' parts is shown in Figs.l, 6, 7, S, and 9. In the'fourlatter figures diagrammaticallyrepresented it will easily be seen that commutator l has just brokencontact with its brush fi', while J2 hasjust completed contact with itsbrush j2, hence the current is on wire No. 2. Thehelices then active areE2 E2 H2 H2 c2 c2 h2 while the commutators 1' K2 L are inactive, withthe current sh unted off.

In Fig. 2 is shown a different position of parts, and the crank-disk isthen upon its extreme throw to the left just commencing its activethrust, as shown more fully in Fig. 3. At this time commutator K2 isthen in contact with its brush la, and has vitalized the helices B:2 Bb" b D2 D d d, which attract their ar- 1natures,D5 D DT DT. to thrustthe cranledisk cT simultaneously with e, but inthe opposite direction.Upon the breaking of this current commutator K2 and brush L have closedthe circuit upon the wire conveying current No. 3, and the cross-headsB5 and B7 are again brought into active operation by aid of theoppositely-disposed pairs of helices from that employed upon the firstquarter of the revolution. In this instance helices B B b 122D" D3 d l2are now active, and opposite thrusts are effected respectively tothoscshown by arrows l and 3 in the first quarterof the stroke. Metalliccontact is maintained between commu tator K and its brush kf" for ninetydegrees of are and thus an active thrust is obtained in order tocomplete the third quarter of the revolution of said shaft E.

Vhen the current No. 3 over its wire is broken by the insulatingmaterial of K niect ing its brush, commutator L'L has effected inetalliccontact with its brush 1*, and current No. et is induced through theproper wires to actively operate the helices Fx F f j"1 G Gl g gt, andwith the armature and operating mechanism connecting the cross-heads Band B2, each of which are oppositely thrust from the direction taken bythem on the second quarter of the revolution, as shown in Fig. 1 byarrows S and ai. This completes the fourth quarter, and the completerevolution of the main shaft has been actively and continuously effectedby the thrusts from the cross-heads resulting from the successiveactivity of the various pairs of helices forming the entire se ries. Atthis time, or upon the completion of one entire revolution, com niutatorI and brush IOD t" are again in contact, and current No. l is activelyemployed'to operate the helices A A a. a C C c 0 and their opera-tingmechanism, as hereinbefore fully described.

To a more complete understanding ofthe active operation and position ofparts during portions ol one complete revolution, I have shown in Figs.7, S, and 9 diagrams of the positions of the crank-disks simultaneouslywith respect to their individual cross-heads, while below is representedthe position ol' the commutators and their respective brushes. Thesefour figures illustrate one-quarter ol' an entire revolution ofthe shaltE.

In order to insure freedom ot' motion to the crank-disks c" when theycease their active movement, or during the time they are passing fromone active position to another, it is necessary that the periphery ol'the crosshead should be removed slightly therel'rom. New, it is evidentthat the crank-disks travel in arcs of circles with the shaft E as thecenter, and upon reference to Fig. (l one ol' said cranks is thereinshown as just commencing the inactive portion of the revolution, withthe armatures commencing to reverse their motion, and preparatory toadvancing toward B D, but this motion would throw the cross-head Bagainst the crank and prevent its advance forward motion; or, in otherwords, tend to drive it back to its position at the commencement of ilsactive stroke. It is-in order to prevent this antagonistic action ofthecross-heads and their cranks that I have made the interior periphery ol'said cross-heads circular, but have given them a stroke sullicient tothrow them l'rom the center to permit ol" the advance ol" thecrank-disks and yet allow the armature to advance in the oppositedirection required without retarding said crank disks. Thus when lhedisk has ceased its activity, the cross-head still advanceseccentrically ol' its enclosing crank, and thus,while the armature 'isreversing its motion, the crank has reached a second active position,and simultaneously therewith the crosshead, by the action ol" itsarmatures, has returned `l'rom ils eccentric position, and is inreadiness to again exert a positive active thrust upon the crank-disksto induce positive lorward motion ol" the main shalt. This is morel'ully illustrated by rel'erence to Fig. et ol" the drawings. At thepoint marked a the active thrust l'rom the crosshead, moving in thedirection ol" the arrow, as designated, ceases, and the latter advancesthe distance shown between the l'ull and dotted lines in said drawings.During this movement the crank has advanced to the point marked fu,- butwhile said crank is passing l'rom e to yw the crossdiead, by reason ol"the action ol the armatures thereon, as above stated, has returned toits active position concentric with its crank in readiness l'or anactive thrust through an are ol' ninety degrees.

In Fig. 5 is shown a slight modification, in which a slnall disk, q, isemployed, suitably mounted upon a crank, r. By this means I am enabledto increase the length, and consequently the power, of the latter uponthe shalt to produce rotary movement.

By a close examination into the system and arrangement ofthe partscomposing my invention, it is easily understood that variousmodifications may be introduced therein without affecting the spirit andessence ol' the invention, and, although I have described andillustrated the machine as being operated by four distinct activethrusts in order to complete one revolution of the driving-shalt, stilllit is very evident that this may be easily modified by changing thenumber of commutators and likewise altering the length of arc comprisedin the metallic surface. Thus each of the latter elements may containonly forty-live degrees ol are; hence this would necessitate eightcommutators and eight correspomling` crossheads. By this means the shaltwould receive eight active thrusts in lieu of i'our,and the resultant orpower obtained would be very materially increased.

I claiml. In an electro-magnetic maehine,thecom bination, with a singlebrush or contact device, ol' the compound commutators insulated withrespect to each other, and with the metallic portions of theirperipheries diametrically opposed,whereby the direction of the motor maybe reversed by the shitting` ol' the brush, sub stantially as hereinsetl'orth.

2. In an electromagnetic engine, the combination ol' a series ol'helices and their co-operating mechanism, with a driving-shalt pro videdwith a pair ol' cranks and a pair ot' crossheads actuated by saidhelices and provided with openings b", which inclose said cranks, thearrangement ol` cranks and cross-heads allowing the latter to exertopposite alternate thrusts upon said shalt for ell'ecting the rotationthereof, substantially as set l'orth.

3. In an electric motor, the combination, with a main shalt having acrank, ol" a crosshead provided with a recess to inclose said crank, anddevices i'or reci procati ng said cross` head to rotate said shaft byits action on said inclosed crank, the opening or recess in saidcross-head being ol" sullieient size and said cross-head being givensullicient thrust to prevent contact between said cross-head and saidcrank while the latter is passing from an inactive position to an activeposition, substantially as set li'orth,

JC. In an electric motor, the combination of a cross-head having acircular opening, b5, with a main shalt provided with a crank having adisk arranged within said opening, the impulses ol" said cross-headbeing comn1unicated to said disk by contact of the wall or side of theopening therewith, and thereby causing the rotation of said main shalt,substantially as set l'orth.

In an electiic motor, the combination, with a shaft, a pair of cranks onsaid shalt,

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and a pair of cross-hcads, each provided with an opening, b5, whichrespectively inclose said cranks, of two commutators, theirbrushes, andthe electric generating and conducting devices which cause saidcross-heads to act alternately on said cranks and shaft, substantiallyas set forth.

6. The combination, with a shaft, adapted to furnish motive power, itscranks inclosed by and rotating` within reciprocating crossheads, andthe co-operating armatures and helices, of a series of commutators andbrushes and the necessary electric connections, whereby said commutatorsare connected to said heli ces, and effect successive active thrustsupon said shaft to compel rotation thereof, substanti ally as hereindescribed.

7. In an electro-magnetic machine, the combination, with a single brush,of a compound commutator provided with two diametricallyopposed metalliccontact-surfaces and a disk composed entirely of insulating substance,whereby upon shifting of the brush thereon the machine is stopped,substantially as stated.

8. In an electro-magnetic machine, the combination, with the main shaft,reciprocating armature, and cross-head, of a crank disposed thereon,said crank beingprovided with a disk which .is disconnected from andactuated intermittently by the said cross-head, to which is secured thesaid reciprocating` armature, substantially for purposes herein setforth.

9. In an electro-magnetic engine, the combination of a main shaft and acrank formed thereon with a reciprocating armature, an elec tro-magnet,and a cross-head which is actuated by said magnet and armature, saidcrosshead being unconnected to said main shaft, but intermittentlyengaging therewith to rotate said shaft, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I afl-ix my signature in presence of two witncsses.

CHARLES ALMON JACKSON.

vWitnesses:

I-I. E. LODGE, A. F. HAYDEN.

